Feed roll mechanism

ABSTRACT

A positive drive strand-handling mechanism for advancing one or more strands of yarn about a feed roll. The mechanism has provision for stopping the feed roll by disengaging a train of gears in the event of strand breakage, and for absorbing shock when the gears are engaged to again advance the strand. The shock-absorbing means is a gear on a common shaft with the feed roll, the gear having slots substantially encircling the shaft with means including resilient elements in the slots for absorbing shock and drivingly connecting the gear and the shaft.

United States Patent l 13,567,096

[72] Inventor RichardBrianMcDermott 2,008,872 7/1935 Minkowitz 188/102X Warwick,R.l. 2,039,236 4/1936 Meisel 226/121UX [21] AppLNo. 749,502 2,186,100 l/l940 Doering... 192/55 [22] Filed Aug.l,l968 3,209,589 /1965 Schlatter 226/188X Patented 1971 Primary Examiner-Richard A. Schacher [73] Asslgnee a zfigz y Attorneys-Albert P. Davis and Burnett W. Norton s4 FEED ROLL MECHANISM 3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs. [52] US. Cl. 226/188, ABSTRACT: A positive drive strand handling mechanism for 192,55 advancing one or more strands of yarn about a feed roll. The [51] Int. Cl. B65h 17/20 mechanism has provision f stopping the f d 11 by i held of Search 226/ l 1, 25, gaging a train of gears in the event of Strand breakage and for 190; 74/63 64; 192/415, absorbing shock when the gears are engaged to again advance 188/102 the strand. The shock-absorbing means is a gear on a common a shaft with the feed roll, the gear having slots substantially en- [56] References Cited circling the shaft with means including resilient elements in UNITED STATES PATENTS the slots for absorbing shock and drivingly connecting the gear 1,598,795 9/1926 Willene 192/55 and the shaft.

mimtnm 2 3,567,096

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AT TOR N EYS IN VIL'N'ITML RICHARD B MC EERMOTT W i FEED ROLL MECHANISM This invention relates to a strand-handling mechanism and, more particularly, to a disconnect and shock-absorbing apparatus in a positive drive mechanism for advancing one or more strands of yarn, and to subcombinations thereof.

As used herein the'term yarn" means any strand material, whether textile or otherwise. v

Various types of strand-handling mechanisms, such as winding equipment, utilize feed rolls for advancing one or more strands of yarn. In the event that a strand breaks it is desirable to terminate operation of the feed roll until the equipmentis again threaded in proper operating manner. Upon starting feeding operation of the feed roll, a positive drive is subject to considerable shock and substantially greater torque than is normally required to continuously feed the yarn. The required starting torque varies with the speed, type, denier and number of strands being feed. For example, with a fine denier strand of yarn such as 70 denier, 5 to 6 inch-ounces of starting torque may be required, and with a heavier denier strand of yarn, such as 1,000 denier, a starting torque of 11/2 inch-pounds may be required. This vastly exceeds the torque required for normal continuous advancing of the strand and such excess torque and shock may cause damage to positive drive equipment, particularly in stripping gear teeth in the feed roll drive train. Various shock-absorbing expedients have been found to be inadequate in this environment, either because of cost, bulkiness or durability and service problems. Additionally, it is desirable to provide both a simple and an effective mechanism for stopping operation of the feed roll upon a break in the strand and for easily engaging the feed roll drive when the strand is again threaded in its normal operating path.

The invention is, in brief, directed to a strand-handling mechanism in which a feed roll is driven through a gear train. Certain gears of the train may automatically be disengaged to stop operation of the feed roll in the event of strand breakage.

'Upon again engaging the gears to drive the feed roll, resultant shock through the gear train is absorbed by the unique shockabsorbing feature which prevents damage such as stripping of the gears. More particularly, a gear'is provided with a compact shock absorbing and drive connection.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide new and improved strand-handling mechanism, and subcombinations thereof.

Another object is to provide anew and improved strandhandling mechanism having provision for stopping feeding of the strand in the event the strand breaks, and also having provision for absorbing shock when the strand is again advanced.

A more specific object is provision of a new and improved strand-handling mechanism including a feed roll for receiving the strand and a drive train including at least a driven gear drivingly connected with the feed roll and a driving gear normally drivingly coupled with the driven gear, with apparatus for automatically disengaging the driving gear and the feed roll, and provision for substantially retarding transmission of shock between the feed roll and the driving gear upon engagement of the drive train.

Still another object is provision of a new and improved shock absorbing apparatus. A related object is provision of such an apparatus in a gear.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic elevational view of a strand-handling mechanism illustrating a preferred embodiment of the inven tion in a drivingly disengaged position;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of a preferred embodiment of a shock-absorbing gear and is taken generally along the lines 2-2 in FIG. 1 (and in FIG. 3); and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the gear taken generally along the line 3-3 in FIG. 2.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawing, a strand-handling mechanism is shown in nondriving condition. When in normal driving condition it is operable for advancing (in the direction indicated by the arrows) one or more strands of yarn Y (phantom line) from a suitable source of supply (not shown) and about a feed roll 10 fixed on a shaft 12 (FIGS. 2 and 3) rotatably mounted in suitable fixed journals (not shown). The feed roll 10 cooperates with-a pinch roll 14 journaled on an arm 16 pivoted by means of a pin 18 to a fixed support 20.

A gear train, shown disengaged, is provided for driving the feed roll 10 and more particularly for driving a driven gear 22 journaled on the feed roll shaft 12 and resiliently anchored thereon as will be described later. The geartrain includes a drive gear 24 rotatable with a drive shaft 26 mounted in fixed jourhals 28, and a pair of intermediate gears drivingly coupled with the driven gear. More particularly, the intermediate gears include a knockoff gear 30 rotatably mounted on a fixed shaft 32 and a control gear 34 rotatably mounted on a free end of an intermediate lever 36 which isjournaled intermediate its ends concentric with the feed roll shaft 12 and is resiliently urged toward a released position by a tension spring 38 connected with lever 36 and a fixed pivot pin 40 to be discussed later. This intermediate lever 36 and the control gear 34 are releasably maintained in a normal operating position (phantom lines) for driving the feed roll 10, with the control gear 34 and the knockoff gear 30 drivingly engaged, by means of a latching lever 42 having one end pivoted about the pin 18 and at the other end having an offset 44 latchingly engaging the free end of the intermediate lever 3.6. The latching lever 42 is urged into latching position by a tension spring 46 secured to the lever and to the fixed pivot pin 40, as will be discussed later.

Yarn break sensor means include an actuating or knockoff rod 48 freely suspended from ,a mounting bracket 50 pivoted by a pin 52 to a fixed support 54 and counterweighted to maintain the rod 48 elevated during normal operation. If the strand Y breaks upstream of the feed roll 10, yarn guide 56 pivoted by a pin 58 to a fixed support 60 is released and drops against a pin 62 on the bracket 50 to permit the rod 48 to drop. If the strand Y breaks downstream of the feed roll 10, another pivoted yarn guide 64 is released and, acting against an abutment 66 on the rod 48, depresses the rod. Thus, the knockoff rod 48 drops and is received between an abutment 68 on the latching lever 42 and a knockoff cam 70 integral with the knockoff gear 30. This cam 70 is generally triangularly shaped so that an apex engages the rod 48 and causes it to move the latching lever 42 clockwise and out of latching engagement with the intermediate lever 36. Thereupon, the spring 38 attached to the intermediate lever 36 and to the pivot pin 40 causes the intermediate lever to pivot counterclockwise so that the control gear 34 is disengaged from the knockoff gear 30, thus stopping rotation of the feed roll 10.

Upon rethreading of the strand Y into its normal path, the knockoff rod 48 is returned to its normal. elevated position and the control gear 34 is again engaged with the knockoff gear 30 by operation of a starting lever 72. The lever 72 is journaled concentric with the feed roll shaft 12 and is depressed so that an abutment pin 74 on the lever depresses an end of the intermediate lever 36 opposite the control gear 34 and thereby meshes the control gear and the knockoff gear 30, thus starting rotation of the feed roll 10. Before these gears mesh, a tension spring 76 connected between the starting lever 72 and an end of a reset pawl 78 intermediately pivoted on the pin 40, causes the opposite end of the pawl to lift an abutment 80 fixed to the knockoff rod 48 and elevate the rod to its normal elevated position. With the yarn again advancing through the guides 56 and 64, the rod 48 remains in its normal position.

As mentioned previously, considerable shock may result in starting the feed roll 10. For substantially eliminating the effect of such shock, the driven gear 22 is provided with shock absorbing means, as may best be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3. Herein this means is in the form of resilient members 82 which are generally semicircular segments of resilient material such as cast polyurethane, for. example'ASTM (D-2,000) 2 B6950, eitherQElA, 'E34 lor'. F19. These resilient members-82am received, in segmental slots- 84 concentric "with and substantiallyencirclingthe rotational axis of the driven gear 22i1During normal driving operation. these-resilient members82 are seatedbetween abutments formedby ends 86 (FlG. 3) of the slots 84 and. other abutments 88 on a plate 90 (FIGS. land 2) seated against a shoulder- 92 on'the feed roll shaft 12 and suitably nonrotatablyattachedtothe shaft 12 as by a flats 94 on the shaft anda cooperating flats 96 of an aperture-inthe plate 90 which receives the shaft. Abolt 98 overlies the plate 90 and a washer l00.and is threaded into the end of the shaft 12 to hold the plate-in place. A pair of inwardly directed tabs on the plate-provide the abutments 88 and engage ends of the resilientmembers oppositethe endsseated on the driven gearabutments 86. When not driving, the resilient membersv82 fit loosely within theirrespective slots 84', and upon starting rotation of the feed roll; 10, shock-is absorbedby these resilient members, thus effectively preventing transmission. of shock through the gears and possible damage to the. assembly such as strippingof the gears. The compact nature of this construction is particularly advantageous in the present environment.

While this invention has beeridescribed with referenceto a I particular embodimentin .a particular environment, various ,.strand, means drivinglycou'pling said feed roll and said first -.gear'for retardingtransmission of shock to the strand upon initiating advancement of the 'strandand including, said first gear having a pair of'slots generally concentricwith said'shaft,

a pair of resilient members, onein each of said slots, cooperat- -ing means on said first gear and'said shaftfor compressing said resilientmembers responsive to shock and for drivingly connecting said shaft and said'firstgear and including pairs of abutments,one breach of said resilient members, each pair including an abutment on'said first gear and another abutment on said shaft, the =abutments ofeach 'pair embracing the respective member, operating means for disengaging and drivingly engaging said first and-second gears and including, a

first lever mounted for'p'ivotal'movement and carrying said second gear, a :latching lever normally releasably latchingly engaged with saidIfirstlever-for releasably retaining said first gear drivingly engagedwith the .second gear, and actuating =means for moving said latching lever out of said latching engagement with said first lever for movement of the gears out of said driving engagement. 7

'2.'A mechanism as set forth in claim 1 in'which said actuating-means comprises acam onone'of said gears and a cooperating. abutment onmsaid latching lever, anactuating member, and means mounting said actuating member for movement into a disengaging position between said cam and said abutment for moving the latching leverout of said latching engagement with said firstrlever.

3. A mechanism as set forth in claim 2 in which said mounting means normally maintains said actuatingmember out of said disengaging position and releases saidactuating member for'movement into said disengaging position responsive to a break in the'strand. 

1. A strand-handling mechanism comprising means including a feed roll operatively secured to a rotatably mounted shaft for advancing a strand, a first gear mounted on said shaft, a driven second gear normally releasably drivingly coupled with said first gear for operating the feed roll to advance the strand, means drivingly coupling said feed roll and said first gear for retarding transmission of shock to the strand upon initiating advancement of the strand and including, said first gear having a pair of slots generally concentric with said shaft, a pair of resilient members, one in each of said slots, cooperating means on said first gear and said shaft for compressing said resilient members responsive to shock and for drivingly connecting said shaft and said first gear and including pairs of abutments, one for each of said resilient members, each pair including an abutment on said first gear and another abutment on said shaft, the abutments of each pair embracing the respective member, operating means for disengaging and drivingly engaging said first and second gears and including, a first lever mounted for pivotal movement and carrying said second gear, a latching lever normally releasably latchingly engaged with said first lever for releasably retaining said first gear drivingly engaged with the second gear, and actuating means for moving said latching lever out of said latching engagement with said first lever for movement of the gears out of said driving engagement.
 2. A mechanism as set forth in claim 1 in which said actuating means comprises a cam on one of said gears and a cooperating abutment on said latching lever, an actuating member, and means mounting said actuating member for movement into a disengaging position between said cam and said abutment for moving the latching lever out of said latching engagement with said first lever.
 3. A mechanism as set forth in claim 2 in which said mounting means normally maintains said actuating member out of said disengaging position and releases said actuating member for movement into said disengaging position responsive to a break in the strand. 